November 1911

Wednesday 1st   It was a fine day ‘tho dull.  Willie was planting pumpkins in the farm orchard.  I was paring the weeds off the paths in the flower garden.

Thursday 2nd   It was a fine day.  I was up early and picked some flowers for Jane.  After breakfast I went down to the village to meet Charlie Dunning who took me to Matakana in the cream cart to sign a declaration before Mr Richards.  Called at Joe Smiths to see old Mr Wallace, but he had been very ill and had gone to Auckland so I did not see him,  Charlie  and I had dinner at Sinclairs, I also had a look round the butter factory and called to see Miss Flatt who is now Teacher of the Matakana School, she was formerly assistant Teacher at Omaha 25 years ago,  in returning home I got off at the ship yard, called to see David Darroch and then walked to the upper wharf,  got on board the “Kawau” and came round on her to the Leigh wharf.
Willie was down with the horse and sleigh with his eggs and he hauled home 2 empty egg boxes and a parcel of books which he left at the Library.
There was a choir practice in the evening, all of us went, I was cataloguing the new books that came today.

Friday 3rd   It was a very fine day.  Willie was spraying the pear trees in the orchard.  I planted out some African Marigolds & Balsams.
In the evening I went down for the mail and attending the Library.

Saturday 4th   There were a few showers in the morning, but it turned out a fine day.  I rode over to the Claim to witness a Cricket Match between Omaha and Matakana Clubs,  Matakana went in first and only made 36 runs,  Omaha then went in and made 184  Wm Dunning contributing 80,  Matakana then went in again, but I did not stay to see the finish, but saddled the horse and came home arriving about 6 oclock.  I had lunch with Minnie & children & Mr Torkington.  I spent a very pleasant day.

Sunday 5th   There were a few slight showers in the morning and a very heavy shower in the afternoon while we were in Church.  In the morning Willie & Grace walked over to Ti Point to spend the day.
Revd Paris held service in the Hall in the afternoon, I attended.
Eddie and Vincent Wyatt came up in the evening to practice the Service of Song.

Monday 6th   There were a few slight showers, otherwise it was a very fine day.  I dug round and stuck all the late sown Sweet Peas.
Willie dug up the piece of ground near the back gate and made some fires on it, also prepared some holes for Tomatoes,  Grace put pine needles under the Strawberries.
Agnes came to stay here.
Mrs Carr was having a bonfire up at the School in the evening to celebrate Guy Fawkes, Grace & Agnes went up.

Tuesday 7th   It was a fine day.  After breakfast I went down to the village to post some letters, carried up a bag of sand, after I returned home I stuck the row of Peas.
Willie was preparing hills for Tomatoes.  Flo came in the pm & Agnes returned home with her.

Wednesday 8th   It was a fine day.  After breakfast I went down to the Hall where I stayed until 6 pm acting as Deputy Returning Officer for the Rodney County Council to elect one Councillor for the Omaha Riding.
I was Deputy Returning Officer & C. Gravatt was Scrutiner for H. Brown, the other candidate was J. C. Wyatt.  The voting was as follows
                               Brown H.               8 votes
                               Wyatt J. C.         22 votes
After I returned home and had my tea Eddie & Lennie came up with the news that Mr French had sent Charlie a wire to say the result of the election was
                              Brown                  50
                              Wyatt                   51

Thursday 9th   It was a fine day ‘tho dull and blowing strong from NW.  After breakfast I went down to the village to post some letters,
Jane & the baby came round in the Steamer, went up to Mrs Dunnings and came to our place in the pm, we went down to the Bible Class picnic, had tea in the Hall and staid for the evenings entertainment, Willie fetched a horse and Jane rode home afterwards.

Friday 10th   It rained heavy & blew hard last night, but it was very fine this morning although the wind was blowing strong.  After breakfast I went down to the village to post a letter & send away the Ballot box.  Started to walk over to the Claim, but met Jim bringing the horse home that Jane had last night, so I rode home.
Went down to the village in the evening to get the mail and attend the Library.

Saturday 11th   Showery in the morning, but finer in the afternoon.
Willie was planting Tomatoes between the potatoes below the house.  I went down to the wharf before dinner to get the meat and carry up some sand.  I finished cutting grass on the paths, tied up the carnations and gathered up horse manure and put round the roses, also put the charcoal ashes round.

Sunday 12th   It was fine in the morning although the wind is blowing strong, it is thought that we are now getting the equinocture gales.
Mr W. Torkington came in the morning Revd McDonald held service in the Hall in the afternoon, we all attended, there was a fair congregation.  Collection 10/10.   While we were in church it came on to rain, we managed to get home during a lull, but came on again and there was misty rain all evening.  Mr Torkington staid all night.

Monday 13th   It was a very showery day.  In the afternoon I went down to Charlies and had tea there.  Mr Torkington returned home in the pm.

Tuesday 14th   It was a fine day.  Willie took the horse and sleigh down to the wharf after breakfast to get some goods, but the Steamer had not landed them.  Grace went to Auckland in the “Kawau” in the afternoon, Willie & I went to see her off, I carried up a bag of sand.

Wednesday 15th   It was a fine day, but very windy.  I planted out 5 Nasturtiums, also sowed 13 rings of Minor Convolvulus in the diamond bed.  Willie sowed 1 row of Dun Beans.  In the afternoon he took a box of Eggs down to the wharf and brought up the Groceries.
I also went down and got a bag of sand.

Thursday 16th   It was a fine day, but the wind was very squally.
Willie sowed 1 Row of Dun Beans, planted a few Tomatoes and in the afternoon he sprayed some Pear trees.
I planted out in the long bed 1 Pelagonium (White),  1 Hunnimannia, 1 Poteutilla.
In the evening I went down to the village to post some letters, there was a rehearsal of the Service of Song, but I did not stay for it, and Willie did not go down.

Friday 17th   It was a very fine day, the wind which has been blowing strong for some time has quieted down and it was very calm this morning.
After breakfast I went down to the village to post some letters, carried up some sand.  Willie was spraying the pears in the orchard.
I was cutting grass on the paths in the garden.  In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library.
Mr E. C. Purdie a Candidate for the Marsden Electorate addressed the electors in the Hall in the evening, there was a fair attendance, Mr Banks occupied the chair.
The “Kawau” returned from Mangawai at 8 this evening, Willie went for the meat.

Saturday 18th   It was raining when we got up this morning, but it cleared up and turned out a very fine day.
Willie was spraying in the orchard, afterwards he dug round the Albany Surprise Grapes.
I was working in the flower garden all day.

Sunday 19th   It was a very fine day, but the wind is blowing strong from the SW.  Willie & I went over to the Claim to spend the day with Jim & Jane, he had a horse between us, spent a very pleasant day, did not reach home until dark.

Monday 20th   It was a very fine day.  In the morning I planted 1 Minature Sunflower & 4 Cosmeas.  In the pm I rode up to John Greenwoods to arrange about a Flower Show Meeting, fixed it for tomorrow night, returning home I called at the following places to tell them about the meeting,  Mr Banks,  Miss McKenzie,  Mrs Carr,  Mrs Ashworth,  Sid Rhodes.
Willie was planting Tomatoes between the Potatoes below the house.

Tuesday 21st   It was fine first thing in the morning, I was preparing places to plant Dahlias, but it came on to rain and rained steadily nearly all day.
Willie went down to meet the Steamer in the afternoon, Grace came from town she had a rough trip.  In the evening  there was a meeting of the Flower Show Committee, only a few attended.

Wednesday 22nd   It was a fine day.  In the morning Willie took the horse and catamaran down to the wharf and hauled up 1 Sack Sharps  & 1 Sack Bran, he stacked his Fruit Cases that came up.
In the pm he emptied the well and fixed up the piping.  I was busy in the flower garden putting in the plants that Grace brought from Auckland, namely  3 Salvias,  6 Delphiniums,  6 Zinnias,  6 Asters.

Thursday 23rd   It was fine in the morning, showery in the afternoon & heavy rain in the evening.
After breakfast I went down to the village to post some letters, took some roses to give to Eddie Wann, got the mail and carried up some sand.  After I came back I planted 6 Dahlias that Grace brought up from Yates.  Sid Rhodes called in the afternoon.

Friday 24th   There were a few showers during the day.  After breakfast I went down to the village to post some letters, carried up a bag of sand.  I was working in the flower garden, planted out 4 Cosmeas that Grace brought me from Auckland also some little plants that Mrs A. Greenwood gave me when we were up there a few Sundays ago.  In the evening I went down to for the mail and attended the Library.

Saturday 25th   It was a very fine day, the finest we have had for some time and very calm.  I was working in the flower garden, I planted out 4 Balsams,  1 Anterrhinum,  1 Hunnimannia.
In the afternoon I took the horse and sleigh down to the wharf and hauled up a lot of sand & some grit for the fowls.
In the afternoon Willie was spraying the Apple trees.

Sunday 26th   There were a few slight showers in the morning, but it turned out a fine day.  Revd O. Blundell held service in the Hall in the morning, I attended, there was a good congregation and Mr Blundell gave us an excellent sermon.  After service I went to Mrs Dunning Senr for lunch, the parson was also there.  I walked over to the Claim in the pm, attended Mr Blundells service there and went to Jims for tea returned home in the evening arriving just before 8 pm.  Willie & Grace had been over to see Flo this afternoon  and only arrived home a little while before me.

Monday 27th   It was a fine day.  In the morning Willie was spraying in the orchard, I went to Joe Wyatts to get a ham for the Exhibition, afterwards I was working in the garden.  I planted  3 Dahlias,  2 Princess &  1  C. E. Wilkins.  In the afternoon Mrs Chas  Wyatt & Mrs Wright came to have a look at the garden, the latter is staying with Mrs Wyatt & lives at Waikomete, she is a great florist and we had a very interesting talk together about flowers, it is quite refreshing to show anyone round who understands flowers.

Tuesday 28th   It was showery in the morning, but it turned out a fine day.   After breakfast I went down to the village to post some letters and afterwards walked to Ti Point, called at Harold Torkingtons, Duncan Knaggs & Mrs Lloyds, had some lunch at the latter place and walked back in time for dinner.
Mrs D. & Gracie Knaggs, Mrs W. Darroch and Mrs Handby called in the pm, the three former staid for tea.
In the evening there was a misty rain, there was a meeting of the Show Committee and afterwards a choir practice.

Wednesday 29th   It was a fine day, but very squally, I was busy all morning writing for the show.  In the afternoon I went down to the Hall to put up the tables ready for the Show.
Willie took the horse down to the wharf to haul up some goods.
Miss Revell came up by the Steamer to stay with us, Grace went down to meet her.

Thursday 30th   It was fine during the day but it rained in the evening.  In the morning Willie took the horse down to the wharf and hauled up some goods that came by the “Kawau” yesterday.  I was making some boxes to show my Roses in and getting moss, in the pm Jane & baby came round in the Steamer, Willie went down to meet her and Angus Dunning brought it up to our gate in Bank’s catamaran.
We all came down to the Hall in the evening with exhibits, there were a good many people putting out exhibits, and Charlie Wyatt and I were busy all evening entering exhibits.